Rollins Disciplines 4 Men In Sexual Assault On Woman

December 28, 1989|By Mark Andrews Of The Sentinel Staff

WINTER PARK — Rollins College indefinitely suspended one student and kicked out another for the rest of the school year for their involvement in the sexual assault of an unconscious female student last month, college officials said Wednesday.

Two other male students were put on ''community probation'' and ordered to attend alcohol education classes, said Steve Neilson, dean of the college. They may also be evaluated for alcohol abuse.

Community probation means that more severe disciplinary action, including expulsion, could result later if the two students violate more college rules. Indefinite suspension is a step short of expulsion and means the student may apply for readmission to the college after two years.

Rollins officials would not release the names of any of the students. The four men may appeal the action taken against them to a faculty-student committee on standards, the dean said.

Neilson said a month's investigation by the campus security office determined that one student had sex with a female student without her consent on the night of Nov. 20.

Rollins began its investigation after the woman reported the incident to the dean's office. She said that after a night of heavy drinking with friends, she went with a former boyfriend to his Winter Park apartment, where she agreed to have sex with him. She believed that, after she passed out, one or two other men may have had intercourse with her.

The woman, a college sophomore, waited six days to report the incident. She did not report it to police.

Neilson said some of the men at first lied about their involvement in the incident. Later one man admitted having sex with the woman, though he disputed allegations that she did not consent.

The two students who were put on probation were found guilty of ''inappropriate behavior'' and of violating the college's code of conduct, said Rollins spokesman Joel Halberstadt. Some of the ''inappropriate behavior'' involved lying to investigators, Neilson said.

In addition, the former boyfriend of the woman improperly ''abandoned her'' when she was assaulted, Halberstadt said. He was suspended for the winter and spring terms for his failure to protect her, Neilson added.

Neilson said that peer pressure by angry students played a large part in prompting those involved in the case to tell the truth.

As reports of the incident spread among members of the close-knit college community this month, leaders of Rollins' fraternities and sororities voted to ostracize a social club to which suspects in the assault belonged.

The social club evolved from the Kappa Alpha fraternity, whose national charter was revoked four years ago after a series of incidents that included vandalism, drunkenness and drug abuse. It also is known as RAP, short for ''rich, arrogant playboys.''

Today the group is often criticized on campus for what students and administrators say is evidence of sexist and demeaning attitudes toward women.

To gain some control over groups not recognized by the college, Neilson has asked the athletic director to determine whether such groups should be allowed to take part in intramural sports.

The college had already planned a special series of educational programs in February dealing with sexual harassment and misconduct, the dean of the college said. That will take place in early February.

Although the woman had not filed a criminal complaint, law enforcement agencies have not dropped their interest in the case.

The Orange-Osceola state attorney's office will make inquiries, said Lynne Oswald, head of the division of sex crimes and child abuse. She said her office has the authority to investigate any criminal conduct that prosecutors think may have occurred.

''We try to encourage rape victims to press charges,'' Oswald said. ''But even if she doesn't prosecute, we have a victim-advocate program and we can help her tap community resources to get counseling.''

Winter Park police talked with campus security investigators about the incident after news reports appeared this month. Capt. Dan Rettig said detectives want to talk with the woman, but she had left for the winter break by the time they learned of the case.